Prevalence of Menière's disease in the general population in Germany

Background: Menière's disease (MD) is characterized by vertigo attacks accompanied by cochlear symptoms and progressive low-frequency hearing loss. MD is therefore commonly suspected in patients with vertigo and cochlear disturbances. While MD accounts for about 7% of diagnoses in specialized dizziness clinics, its prevalence in the German population has not been established. Data from international studies suggest a rather low prevalence, but reported rates vary from 17 (Japan) to 218 (Rochester, USA) per 100.000. Most studies, however, have methodological limitations due to their mainly retrospective design, r…